The big shock of last weekend’s Strictly was that the only contestant ever to have had
full marks from the judges is the very one who was voted out - in spite of having
also had top marks for her final performance on Saturday night.
Ali Bastian, the 13th celebrity to be voted out of the contest, danced a whole lot better than Chris Hollins - but the viewers loved him, in spite of his gurning through the Argentine Tango and wearing his famous “constipated” look through his other dance with Ola.
Rather shockingly, Chris and Ola, who only scored 80 with the judges for their two dances, have made it to the final over Ali and Brian, who clocked up a very creditable 92. And all this makes me wonder whether Ricky Whittle, a sensational dancer who with partner Natalie achieved a near-perfect 96, will get his chance to lift that glitterball trophy next weekend. Ricky danced as brilliantly as ever last weekend - and the judges loved him and Natalie - but they still ended up in the dance-off.
Chris is known as “Mr. Likeability”, in spite of his strange expressions. And he is an affable chap whose dancing has improved tremendously. But he doesn’t have the natural grace and talent of Ricky, and I am fervently hoping the viewers will look at old-fashioned attributes like grace and technique next week and let the best man win the final.
Here’s my take on Saturday’s performances:
Chris and Ola were less good than I’ve seen them in the past, and I thought Chris’s
rumba was quite without passion. His strange sneer at the beginning of the Argentine Tango was apparently his idea of a sensual stance - Bruno got it right when he said “You just look like you’re in a bad mood!”
Ali and Brian - Ali has really come a long way since the start of the contest, as her high marks have shown, and the couple absolutely deserved top scoring for their American Smooth. I had predicted she would probably not make the final, but on the basis of last weekend’s performance, I would have kept Ali and Brian in over Chris and Ola.
Ricky and Natalie - Only one word for it: sensational. Ricky just gets better and better, and this week his tuxedo lent a real touch of class to the man who wears a tad too many unbuttoned see-through shirts. The only person who danced better on the night was Darcey Bussell, who gave us the most spectacular and assured Jive - as a true dancing diva surely would.
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